Karla Tafra
Working out at home has its challenges, from the lack of equipment and space, to being mindful of your neighbors. Here’s how you can still get in a good HIIT workout without breaking the neighbor code.
Perform Smaller Movements Faster
Small, isolated movements performed with higher intensity and speed are incredibly hard to do. You can grab a resistance band to pump up your bicep, get on all fours to activate your glutes with some donkey kick pulses, or position yourself on the edge of a bench and go crazy with tricep dips.
Performing all of these faster than you normally do elevates your heart rate and body temperature, and, therefore, increases your workout intensity.
And it burns—it burns real good! Aim for 20 to 25 fast repetitions, and you’ll feel the muscle group you’re working on get fatigued in no time.
Incorporate Full-Body Moves
When you put your entire body into performing a move, you use the maximum amount of energy and definitely increase your workout intensity level.
Just like compound movements in the gym activate your entire body, so do exercises like plank to dolphin and bear crawls, commandos and push-ups, air squats and walking lunges.
Make your moves big. Take up as much space as possible and challenge your body to work harder and perform stronger.
Change Planes Frequently
Switching up your direction more frequently calls for all senses to be more alert and active, and your entire body to always be ready to explode into movement. When you don’t have time to think about your next move and only know you need to be facing a different wall or window to perform the same move, you’re not wasting your energy.
You can do this with push-ups, squats, lunges, or any other move that keeps you on your toes and allows you to easily transfer from one angle to another.
Shorten Your Rest Periods
Keeping your rest periods and breaks as short as possible maintains a higher heart rate and allows you to push for maximum intensity. It’s when we rest that our breath starts going down to normal. Our pulse begins to slow, and soon, we’re right back where we started.
If you’re unfamiliar with this concept, start with Tabata workouts and grow from there. You can try doing a 30-30 split. This means you work really hard for 30 seconds, and then rest for 30. A 30-15 split means you work for 30 seconds and only rest just 15. For the 45-15 split, you endure an extra 15 seconds on top of your high-intensive 30 and rest for only 15.
No need to jump or annoy your neighbors with this method—you’ll be sweating and breathless before your workout is even halfway through.
Use Sliders or a Towel
Mountain climbers and plank jumping jacks might be out of the picture when you’re trying to keep quiet. However, instead of ditching them altogether, try performing them with a towel or sliders instead. They can have the same effect. Actually, you’ll probably work your core even more by pushing into the ground to create better traction.
You can use sliders or towels for a variety of different exercises, including ab burners, side, front, and back lunges, hamstring curls, upper-back toners, and even arm and chest challengers.
Implement 3/4s of the Jumping Moves
Just because you can’t jump doesn’t mean you can’t perform the same type of movement—just exclude the last part of it. You can do plenty of exercises while staying as explosive as possible. Just pretend you’re going to jump, but then stay on your toes.
Squat jumps and variations, invisible SkiErgs and leg lifts, as well as many floor exercises, allow you to mimic jumping movements without actually taking the leap. This tricks your body into thinking it will jump, so it works the same way it would if you actually did. Explore the phases of each move and think about how you can create the same effect without fully completing it.
Work Your Entire Body in One Session
Although isolated movements are great—especially when performed faster than usual—don’t focus on just those. Instead, create a workout plan that doesn’t include splitting your muscle groups into days. Combine moves that target different areas of your body. This helps your blood circulate faster.
Try to do a few leg exercises, like squats, lunges, or explosive hip thrusts. Throw in a few ab blasters, like sliding mountain climbers or air bicycles. Finally, finish up with some explosive push-ups, resistance band rows, or commandos. Your entire body will be vibrating and your heart rate will go through the roof.
Making your home workout both high intensive and quiet isn’t difficult, but it does require a little preparation. Focus on speed and changing directions. Shorten your rest periods and work your entire body to the max. Happy sweating!
